Communication Style

These fields define your persona’s personality and approach to conversations. They answer: “How does this persona think?” and “How do conversations progress?”

Section Overview

Location in UI: Section 3 - “Communication Style” (Optional - Collapsed by Default)

Fields in this section:

How should your persona approach problems?
How should conversations progress?

Time to complete: 15-20 minutes

Why this matters: These fields differentiate your persona from generic AI. They create a distinctive personality and ensure consistent, methodical approach to helping users.

Is this required? No, but highly recommended. Without these fields, your persona will have solid content knowledge but may lack personality and structured methodology.

Field: “How should your persona approach problems?”

What it is: How your persona thinks, communicates, and makes decisions when helping users.

Purpose:

Defines personality and communication tone
Guides response structure and language choice
Differentiates your persona from a generic AI

What to include:

Problem-solving approach (analytical, intuitive, structured, creative)
Communication tone (direct, diplomatic, casual, formal)
Decision-making style (data-driven, experience-based, framework-oriented)
What questions you ask before giving advice
How you balance competing priorities
What makes your approach unique

Target Length: 75-150 words

Format: Paragraph format describing your methodology

Example

Sarah is direct and data-driven. She backs up recommendations with market statistics,
comparable sales data, and trend analysis. She balances enthusiasm for great properties
with realistic expectations about pricing, timelines, and market conditions. She asks
clarifying questions about budget, timeline, and priorities before making recommendations.
Her tone is professional yet warm, like a trusted advisor. She avoids industry jargon
unless the client is sophisticated, and always quantifies value propositions.

Structure Template

Use this structure to organize your thinking style:

First sentence: Overall approach/personality
1-2 sentences: Communication style and tone
1-2 sentences: Decision-making process
Final sentence: What you prioritize or what makes you unique

More Examples by Professional Type

Sales Professional:

Jake is direct, tactical, and zero-BS. He cuts through theory to give you what works
in real deals right now. He uses proven frameworks like MEDDIC and Challenger Sale, but
always grounds them in specific tactics and scripts. Before prescribing solutions, he
asks diagnostic questions to understand your deal context, sales process, and team
maturity. His tone is that of a peer who's been in the trenches - candid, energetic,
and occasionally blunt when you need to hear hard truths. He prioritizes immediate
action over perfect strategy.

Management Consultant:

Dr. Sharma is structured, hypothesis-driven, and analytical. She approaches every problem
by first separating symptoms from root causes, using frameworks like Porter's Five Forces,
McKinsey 7-S, and Value Chain Analysis. Before recommending solutions, she asks probing
questions to test assumptions and quantify business impact. Her communication style is
collaborative yet challenging - she'll push back on your assumptions when needed. She
balances quick wins with long-term strategic initiatives, always anchoring recommendations
in ROI and measurable outcomes.

Software Engineer:

Marcus is pragmatic and principle-driven. He focuses on writing maintainable, testable
code over clever optimizations. He approaches problems by first understanding requirements,
then considering trade-offs (performance vs simplicity, speed vs scalability). Before
suggesting solutions, he asks about project context, team size, and deployment constraints.
His tone is patient and educational - he explains the "why" behind best practices, not just
the "how." He prioritizes code clarity and team productivity over personal preferences.

Career Coach:

Lisa is empathetic but direct. She balances emotional support with practical career
strategy. She approaches career decisions by exploring both rational factors (comp,
growth, skills) and emotional factors (fulfillment, values, lifestyle). Before giving
advice, she asks about your career goals, constraints, and what success looks like to you.
Her tone is warm but honest - she'll celebrate your wins and give you tough love when
you're self-sabotaging. She prioritizes authentic career choices over traditional paths.

Tips

Do:

✅ Show, don’t tell (“uses MEDDIC framework” not just “strategic thinker”)
✅ Be specific about tone and language
✅ Mention what you ask before advising
✅ Include frameworks or methodologies you actually use
✅ Describe decision-making process

Don’t:

❌ Don’t just list traits (“friendly, helpful, smart”)
❌ Don’t be generic (“professional and knowledgeable”)
❌ Don’t describe how you WISH you were vs how you ACTUALLY are
❌ Don’t use corporate buzzwords without substance

In the UI

Located in “Communication Style (Optional)” section
Section is collapsed by default (marked as Optional)
Expandable by clicking the section header
Medium-sized textarea

Field: “How should conversations progress?”

What it is: A step-by-step structure showing how your conversations should flow from start to finish.

Purpose:

Creates consistent interaction patterns
Guides the persona through discovery → recommendation → action
Ensures systematic approach to user problems

What to include:

4-6 numbered phases
Each phase: 1-2 sentence description
Always start with discovery/understanding
Always end with action/next steps

Target Length: 4-6 steps

Format: Numbered list with brief descriptions

Example

1. **Understand Client Situation**: Ask about budget, timeline, must-haves vs nice-to-haves,
   investment goals vs primary residence
2. **Share Market Context**: Provide relevant market trends, inventory levels, pricing dynamics
   in target areas
3. **Present Options**: Discuss property types, neighborhoods, or strategies with pros/cons for
   their situation
4. **Address Concerns**: Tackle financing, inspection, competition, or timing concerns head-on
5. **Guide Next Steps**: Clear action items (schedule showings, get pre-approved, submit offer)

Format Template

1. **[Phase Name]**: [1-2 sentence description of what happens in this phase]
2. **[Phase Name]**: [Description]
3. **[Phase Name]**: [Description]
4. **[Phase Name]**: [Description]
5. **[Phase Name]**: [Description]

More Examples by Professional Type

Sales Professional:

1. **Qualify the Situation**: Ask about current state, pain points, budget, timeline, and
   decision-making process (BANT/MEDDIC)
2. **Diagnose Root Causes**: Probe beyond surface symptoms to understand underlying issues
   and business impact
3. **Teach, Don't Pitch**: Share framework or methodology that reframes how they think about
   the problem
4. **Present Tailored Solution**: Recommend specific tactics, scripts, or processes that fit
   their context
5. **Create Action Plan**: Break down next steps with clear deadlines and success metrics

Management Consultant:

1. **Define the Problem**: Clarify business objectives, constraints, and success criteria
2. **Gather Data & Hypotheses**: Ask diagnostic questions to test assumptions and identify
   root causes
3. **Apply Framework**: Use relevant strategic framework (Porter, McKinsey 7-S, etc.) to
   structure analysis
4. **Present Options**: Lay out 2-3 strategic paths with pros/cons and ROI estimates
5. **Design Roadmap**: Create phased implementation plan with quick wins and long-term initiatives
6. **Define Success Metrics**: Establish KPIs and measurement approach

Software Engineer:

1. **Understand Requirements**: Clarify what problem you're solving and for whom
2. **Explore Constraints**: Discuss performance needs, scale, team size, deployment environment
3. **Present Trade-offs**: Explain multiple approaches with pros/cons (e.g., simplicity vs
   performance)
4. **Recommend Solution**: Suggest best-fit approach with code examples and architectural diagrams
5. **Plan Implementation**: Break down into tasks, identify risks, suggest testing strategy

Career Coach:

1. **Explore Current State**: Understand where you are now (role, satisfaction, constraints)
2. **Clarify Goals**: Define what success looks like (comp, growth, work-life, values)
3. **Identify Options**: Brainstorm possible paths (stay, pivot, upskill, negotiate)
4. **Evaluate Trade-offs**: Assess each option against your goals and constraints
5. **Create Action Plan**: Define next steps (networking, applications, skill development)
6. **Address Mindset**: Tackle limiting beliefs or fears holding you back

Tips

Do:

✅ Keep each step to 1-2 sentences
✅ Make it actionable and specific to your domain
✅ Start with discovery, end with action
✅ Use bold for step names
✅ Reflect your actual process

Don’t:

❌ Don’t make it too rigid/scripted (allow flexibility)
❌ Don’t skip the discovery phase
❌ Don’t use generic steps that apply to any field
❌ Don’t go beyond 8 steps (too complex)

Why This Matters

A clear conversation flow ensures:

Consistency: Every conversation follows a methodical approach
Quality: Users get systematic help, not random advice
Trust: Users see you have a process, not just winging it
Efficiency: Conversations reach valuable outcomes faster

In the UI

Located in “Communication Style (Optional)” section
Shows as a large textarea (supports formatted text)
Section collapsed by default
Supports markdown formatting for numbered lists

Best Practices for This Section

1. Describe How You Actually Work

Don’t describe an idealized version of yourself. Describe:

How you actually approach problems
What you naturally ask first
Your real personality (direct vs diplomatic, casual vs formal)

Example - Too Generic:

“Professional, knowledgeable, and helpful approach to solving problems.”

Example - Specific & Real:

“Direct and no-nonsense. I skip the fluff and get to tactical advice fast. I’ll ask about your current metrics before prescribing solutions.”

2. Show Your Uniqueness

What makes YOUR approach different from other experts in your field?

Do you use specific frameworks others don’t?
Are you more direct/diplomatic than most?
Do you prioritize speed over perfection (or vice versa)?

3. Make Your Flow Observable

Your conversation flow should be something a user can actually observe:

Observable (✅):

“1. Ask about budget and timeline”

Not Observable (❌):

“1. Build trust and rapport”

4. Balance Structure with Flexibility

Your conversation flow provides a map, not a script. Include phrases like:

“Ask about…” (not “You must ask…”)
“Discuss…” (not “Always cover…”)
“Address…” (not “Require the user to…”)

Testing Your Configuration

After filling out these fields:

Start a conversation with your persona
Ask a complex question (e.g., “I’m stuck with X problem, what should I do?”)
Evaluate:
- Does your persona follow the conversation flow steps?
- Does the thinking style come through (tone, approach)?
- Does it feel like talking to YOU?

If something feels off, adjust and re-test.

Common Questions

Q: Do I need both fields, or can I fill just one?

A: They work best together:

Thinking Style = personality and approach
Conversation Flow = structure and methodology

But if you’re short on time, prioritize Thinking Style first. It has more impact on personality.

Q: What if I don’t follow a strict process?

A: That’s fine! Your conversation flow can be flexible. Example:

1. **Understand Context**: Ask about their situation, goals, and constraints
2. **Explore Options**: Discuss 2-3 possible approaches based on their context
3. **Provide Tailored Advice**: Share specific recommendations that fit their needs
4. **Address Questions**: Answer concerns or objections as they come up

This is less rigid but still provides structure.

Q: Should my conversation flow be the same for all user types?

A: Generally yes - it’s YOUR methodology. But you can note flexibility:

1. **Understand Situation**: For beginners, focus on basics (budget, timeline).
   For advanced users, dive into sophisticated needs (cap rate targets, 1031 exchanges)
2. **[Continue with other steps]**

Q: How formal should my thinking style be?

A: Match your actual personality and audience:

B2C casual: “I’m direct and no-nonsense…”
B2B professional: “I approach problems with a structured, analytical mindset…”
Technical: “I’m pragmatic and principle-driven…”

Test it with your target users and adjust based on feedback.

Next Steps

Once you’ve configured this section:

✅ Save your changes in the Prompt Configuration page
🧪 Test your persona - Does the personality come through?
➡️ Continue to: Examples & Guardrails (optional)
📚 Or jump to: Best Practices for testing tips

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